Families of gay serial killer Stephen Port’s four victims planning to sue police over failures to catch him earlier
Their lawyers are appealing for information as they prepare for legal action
FAMILIES of gay serial killer Stephen Port’s four victims are planning to sue police over appalling failures to catch him earlier, it was revealed yesterday.
Lawyers acting for victims’ relatives issued an appeal for anyone with information about Port to come forward to the police watchdog investigating Met Police bungles in the case.
Port, 41, was given a whole life tariff after being convicted at the Old Bailey in November of murdering Anthony
Walgate, 23, Gabriel Kovari, 22, Daniel Whitworth, 21, and Jack Taylor, 25, during a 15-month period.
Former chef Port met his victims through online gay cruising sites and then spiked them with massive overdoses of date-rape drug GHB at his home in Barking, East London, “to satisfy his insatiable appetite for sex with unconscious men.”
He dumped first victim Anthony outside his block of flats in June 2014 and served a prison sentence for lying to police in that case - but was absolved of directly killing him.
The others were dumped at a nearby graveyard but despite similarities police failed to link their deaths and were hoodwinked by a hoax suicide letter written by Port from Daniel in which he confessed to killing Gabriel.
Port was only caught after Jack’s family refused to accept that his death was non-suspicious.
Sister Donna said : “The police should be held accountable for Jack’s death.”
Former gay escort Port was also convicted of spiking and raping a string of other men who survived.
A total of 17 local officers are being investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission, seven of whom could face the sack if found to be guilty of gross misconduct.
It is understood families of the victims are considering suing the Metropolitan Police for negligence under the right to life article 2 clause of the Human Right Act.
In a statement, their solicitor Neil Hudgell said yesterday : “The Metropolitan Police have publicly acknowledged that the evidence heard at Stephen Port’s trial identified potentially missed opportunities to catch Port sooner.
“There are many serious questions which the families of these young men need answering through the ongoing IPCC investigation and any future inquests.
“It is essential that we establish whether the police response to the deaths of these young men was thorough and appropriate, including whether discrimination played any part in their actions.
“The families expect the IPCC to fully scrutinise the investigative work undertaken by the police and examine how any potential similarities between the cases were considered.
“The families rightly want the police to be held to account, but it is too early at this stage to say what form any legal action may take, the emphasis right now is on information gathering.”
The lawyer urged anyone with information to contact the IPCC on 0800 151 0021 or email his firm at [email protected]